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Ole Miss OT Laremy Tunsil declares for the NFL Draft

The 6'5, 305 lbs. offensive tackle may very well be the No. 1 overall pick.

Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Two-time All-American Ole Miss left tackle Laremy Tunsil has chosen to get paid for his football services and announced his intentions to enter this year's NFL Draft. The news comes mere hours after teammate Laquon Treadwell announced similar intentions.

Here's the statement Tunsil released through the university:

After weighing the decision with my family, I will forgo my senior season and enter the 2016 NFL Draft. It's been a lifelong dream to play in the NFL, and I'm excited about the challenge in front of me. I will always cherish my time at Ole Miss and the relationships with my teammates, coaches and staff. Those are my brothers, and I will always be a Rebel. I'm proud of what my class accomplished, and I know even bigger things are ahead for this program. I cannot thank the fans enough for how they embraced me and made my time in Oxford so special. I am going to bring the same passion to the NFL that I brought to Vaught-Hemingway and will make Rebel Nation proud every Sunday.

And here's Hugh Freeze's statement:

Few players have brought more joy to my life than Laremy Tunsil, and I'm so proud to see him take this next step in his life. I will always be grateful for the opportunity he gave us three years ago, and I look forward to seeing him walk across the stage at this year's NFL Draft. With his spirit, hard work and determination, he has a bright future ahead of him.

Big Laremy becomes the third member of Freeze's ridiculous 2013 recruiting class to head toward the glory of NFL Sundays, though in perhaps more tidy circumstances than Robert Nkemdiche. In any case, a handful of first rounders out of the same stable can only spell more future recruiting success for Freeze, who need only point to the NFL big board to convince prospects.

SB Nation's most recent mock draft has Tunsil as the first overall pick for the Tennessee Titans, in a move reminiscent of last year's trench-diggers draft-fest. He's certainly the most League-ready lineman out there in terms of size and athleticism, and any lingering "issues" attached to last summer's dustup with his stepdad and pursuant suspension seem to have evaporated entirely. Tunsil, who is credited with allowing just two sacks in career 29 games, is good to go.

Tunsil broke his leg in last season's disaster of a Peach Bowl and saw his 2015 return delayed seven delayed seven games for NCAA infractions uncovered after the incident with his stepdad. He showed no rust in his return, however, immediately sparking a renaissance along what had been up to that point a horrid Ole Miss O-line.

Just check out how dramatically the Rebs' rushing numbers increased:

B.T. (Before Tunsil) A.T. (After Tunsil)
Yards per carry 2.69 5.23
Attempts per game 32.6 38

He proved his NFL-readiness against a pair of guys that will be likely be joining him in the League some day, getting the best of Texas A&M's Myles Garrett back in October before shutting down projected first-rounder Emmanuel Ogbah in the Sugar Bowl last weekend.

Of course, blocking wasn't the only thing Tunsil did in New Orleans.

Onward.